Latest news with #SteveAllen
North Wales Live
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
Cote Brasserie is running Kids Eat Free for the summer
Côte Brasserie has launched kids eat free this summer. Until September 1, children aged 12 and under can order two complimentary courses when dining with an adult, no sign-ups or codes required. Children can enjoy a menu created by Steve Allen, Côte's Executive Chef and former Head Chef at Gordon Ramsay's Pétrus. The children's menu includes Côte's in-house butchered burger and creamy tomato pasta bake, and mini French onion soup and steak frites. Desserts run from rich chocolate mousse to a waffle sundae. While kids eat they can stay entertained with a specially designed activity pack. There's also something for early risers, a free children's breakfast is available with any adult hot breakfast. A Côte spokesperson said: 'We've designed this summer's Kids Eat Free experience to reflect everything we stand for - quality, generosity, and time well spent around the table. Families deserve a space where everyone eats well, and no one is treated as an afterthought. This is dining out the way it should be, relaxed, flavourful, and made for sharing.'
News.com.au
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Preachy': The truth behind The Project and Q&A's brutal axings
Once hugely influential within Australian culture, The Project and Q&A at their heights were able to make headlines and not only spark but also further conversations within society. Sadly for Channel 10 and ABC, those days are long behind them, and this week, both networks finally decided to put the ageing shows out to pasture. Launched in 2009 as The 7pm Project with co-hosts Carrie Bickmore and comedians Charlie Pickering and Dave Hughes, the panel show won Gold Logies for Bickmore and for co-host Waleed Aly. By the time Covid-19 had the world in its grasps, viewership had begun to crumble, and year-after-year Network 10 was forced to deny that its once ratings behemoth would be coming to an end. When the news finally became official last week, it was hardly a surprise to many. But that doesn't make it any less devastating for the hundreds whose jobs are now in question at Channel 10, as well as those at ABC now that its own long-running current affairs show, Q&A, is also being axed from the airwaves. 'ABC has a fixed budget, it has to go begging to the government if it wants more,' said media analyst Steve Allen, director at Pearman Media Agency. 'It has to run everything on the smell of an oily rag, they're running multiple radio and television networks all off a smaller budget that most commercial networks, apart from maybe 10, don't have to operate off,' he told 'But the common theme here is that programs have to perform,' Mr Allen continued. 'They have to attract an audience; for entirely different reasons if we're talking Channel 10 and ABC. But at their core they have to be popular. It's more than a decade since The Project was at its height of viewership. Seven and Nine, their news shows are ratings behemoths. They're in the top five programmes every night of the week. 'It's incredibly hard for anyone to compete in that hour or hour and a half, whether that's SBS, ABC or Channel 10. And that's the problem The Project faced. Its ratings aren't going up. Since its stellar cast faded away bit by bit they've tried all sorts of personality and host combinations none of which really worked,' he added. As advertising dollars have continued to decrease over the years, forcing free-to-air broadcast networks around the world to tighten their purse strings and shift their entire business models to compete with streaming, Mr Allen explained that it's likely Channel 10 saw The Project's timeslot as an untapped revenue stream. 'It's contracted out to Rove Productions and one has to assume that they were making money out of it. So I would imagine that Network 10 thought if they take it in-house then they can use the profit margin that was being made to spend on something different.' Some critics have suggested that the death of shows like Q&A and The Project is down, at least in part, to audiences growing tired of having a so-called 'woke agenda' being pushed onto them. But this theory feels narrow-minded, reeks of political point-scoring and fails to look at the real issues behind their demise. After all, The Project featured Steve Price throughout almost its entire run, who regularly butted heads with the likes of Waleed Aly and Sarah Harris over hot-button issues. And we can't forget the storming victory Labour had in the elections last month, dragging the Liberal Party over hot coals on their way to a hugely historic victory that demonstrated very clearly that social media echo chambers aren't indicative of the wider Australian culture. While shows like The Project and Q&A have floundered, more straight-news based current affairs shows like Nine's A Current Affair and ABC's Australian Story have continued to succeed within the shifting landscape. Living within a world where we're bombarded with unsolicited opinions across social media on everything from our own lives to those of celebrities, perhaps the fundamental crux is that when viewers tune into a current affairs shows, what they desire more than anything is news presented to them without any form of bias along with it, regardless of the side they personally stand on. As the demise of The Project became clear, some corners of social media blamed it on the show being 'too left-leaning' and desperate to 'push the woke agenda', while others on the polar opposite side tweeted that it was just a mouthpiece 'to push right-wing agendas to a left-wing audience'. It seems clear that this is why these shows are failing, doomed to be just another relic of TV's past. They hark back to a period in our culture when nuance was not only integral to conversation but valued. We live in a world nowadays where everything is so black and white that it's made merely flirting with the grey area nigh impossible. Shows that attempt balance now feel doomed to try and court both sides, only to end up being abandoned by both. 'Both shows had become stale and lost the essence of what they once were,' said TV Blackbox's Rob McKnight. 'The Project turned from a light show to a preachy show and Q&A left behind the core of what it stood for.' It seems Network 10 have come to the same realisation, with their announcement of The Project's replacement 10 News+, making very clear that one thing viewers won't get when tuning in is any form of opinion from its presenters. 'At the heart of everything we do is delivering news and current affairs that matter to you,' said the announcement. 'No filler. No opinion. Just the facts.' All that's left to see now is whether that sentiment can resonate with viewers so Channel 10 can finally bag themselves a win. As more and more legacy shows begin to fall into obscurity, all eyes are slowly turning toward morning television, an institution for many around the world, including here in Australia. Once a pioneer of the format with Good Morning Australia, Channel 10 has failed to achieve success in the timeslot since the show ended in 2005. Its follow-up show, Studio 10, was brutally axed at the end of 2023. While its rivals have continued to succeed with shows such as Today and Sunrise still regularly reaching millions every weekday, some critics have suggested that it could be the next timeslot to face struggles. Mr insisting that Australia's morning shows have 'nothing' to be concerned about, at least for the time being. 'The audiences for Sunrise, TODAY and ABC News Breakfast are very strong and both TODAY and Sunrise generate plenty of revenue,' he said. 'These shows also help the networks have local programming and connect with audiences.' While initially it may seem all doom and gloom for Channel 10 when it comes to its numerous cancellations over the years, from The Project to their failed attempts at The Traitors and bringing back Gladiators where other broadcasters like the BBC succeeded, media analyst Steve Allen says that the ailing network appears to have finally hit bottom, and now the only way is a slow climb back up. 'Peak night audience across Seven, Nine, Channel 10 and SBS has actually gone up for the first time in a decade,' he shared. 'Not by much, but that's unheard of in recent times. If it has finally bottomed out, then crucially, it means the dollars that these networks have to spend won't erode any further.'
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Media analyst expert reveals the major sign The Project was going to be axed - after Ten confirms exciting new investigative show to take its place
The Project viewers were left stunned this week when Network Ten announced on Monday that their flagship show was getting the axe in three weeks. But leading media analyst Steve Allen, from Pearman Media, has revealed to Daily Mail Australia the signs of the news program's demise have been evident for years. The TV expert said on Tuesday that The Project landed on the chopping block the moment it started losing star power hosts like Carrie Bickmore. 'They lost some of those well-liked, well-admired names,' Allen said. 'The trio who first started The Project, Carrie Bickmore being one of them. They were known quantities then.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The Project, which will air its last episode on June 27, launched as The 7PM Project in July 2009 with Carrie Bickmore and comedians Charlie Pickering and Dave Hughes at the helm. The show then saw a star-studded, rotating panel over the course of its nearly 16-year span, which included the likes of Peter Helliar, Rove McManus, Lisa Wilkinson and Tommy Little, among others. In its heyday, The Project won several accolades including 11 Logie Awards - two of which were viewer-voted Gold Logies won by hosts Waleed Aly and Bickmore. Many stars have since left the program, leaving behind Aly, Sarah Harris, Sam Taunton, Hamish MacDonald, Georgie Tunny, Susie Youssef and Steve Price. Allen said while the current line-up is plenty talented, they don't have the same 'public appeal' as the prior panels. 'What Ten have tried to do in the last decade with the personalities who have gone in and out of the show, they have tried to reinvent it and it just hasn't been successful,' he said. 'Waleed Aly, in particular, a few years ago generated a lot of publicity. 'He is very good at what he does, but he didn't have other people around him that were sufficiently different with their own appeal to the public to regain some numbers.' 'That was the problem. He was nearly last man standing,' Allen added. The Project exceeded more than a million metro viewers at the height of its success. It first began as a half-hour program but soon transitioned into one-hour episodes as its popularity increased. Shot mostly at Network Ten's studios in The Como Centre in South Yarra, Melbourne, The Project was known for reporting on current affairs with a comedic spin. The show also featured all kinds of international superstar guests, giving a seat to any and all artists, actors and musicians who were on tour in Australia. 'The other unique thing The Project has had to this day, and will have until it goes off air, is for any celebrity who comes to Australia - Seven and Nine wouldn't give them much long-form interview space, but The Project would,' Allen said. 'They had something different going for them.' However, audiences began to dwindle in recent years following the loss of stars like Bickmore, Hughes and Wilson - and no amount of famous guests could help The Project recover. Just last week, The Project only attracted between 238,000 and 357,000 viewers nationally. This is in stark contrast to The Project's competitors - Seven and Nine News - which routinely attracted more than 2 million viewers to their 6pm bulletins. However, it seems Ten is preparing to come back bigger and better than ever as the network has already announced an exciting new show to take The Project's place. After announcing The Project was ending, Ten released another statement announcing a different news program will be filling the evening time slot. 'Network 10 will be introducing a revised early evening program schedule later this month,' a spokesperson said. 'At the core of the changes will be an expansion of Network 10's successful news coverage, with the launch of a new national one-hour 6pm news, current affairs and insights program six days a week to complement 10's one-hour 5pm local news bulletins. 'This reflects the successful growth in audiences to Network 10 local news bulletins and coverage. 'Our focus continues to be on serving our free-to-air audiences with more of the content they are increasingly watching.' The Project has been officially axed after 16 years and will air its final episode on June 27. Pictured L to R: Sam Taunton, Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris, and Georgie Tunny 'Deal or No Deal will move to the new time of 7pm,' the statement finished. Recently poached Seven journalists Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace are expected to host the new evening program. The new show will be overseen by broadcast news vice president Martin White, with the title and official launch date expected to be announced within the next week. Daily Mail Australia previously reported Ten poached several high-profile journalists from Channel Seven to create a 'crack team' for a new investigative unit. Veteran reporter Hitchcock, 7News Sydney's Bill Hogan, and award-winning former foreign correspondent Brace are those said to be at the helm of the new program. Brace and Hitchcock left Seven's Sydney newsroom within hours of quitting and began work at Ten last Monday. Hogan is expected to start in another two weeks. The departures fuelled speculation Ten is preparing to launch a prime-time news magazine show to take on Nine's 60 Minutes, Seven's Spotlight, and ABC's Four Corners.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE What's next for hosts Waleed Aly and Sarah Harris after The Project is axed after 16 years?
A media analyst has weighed in on Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris and Hamish Macdonald 's futures after the The Project was axed on Monday. Steve Allen, who is the director of strategy and research at Pearman Media, exclusively revealed to Daily Mail Australia what he thought was next for the stars of the beloved Channel Ten show. And according to the leading analyst, it's not much. 'There are recent reports on the major stars in Seven and Nine, their contracts being reassessed and offered at much lower prices,' he said. Despite television revenue being the best its been in years, Steve noted that those numbers may not extend into the second half of the year. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Steve Allen, who is the director of strategy and research at Pearman Media, exclusively revealed to Daily Mail Australia what he thought was next for the stars of the beloved Channel Ten show 'There is not an appetite at the top of Nine or Seven or Ten to say: "There is buckets of money coming in, let's go wild",' he shared. He added that executives are 'trying to re-engineer their cost base from the point of view that they can't bank on future revenue...' Steve predicted that it is unlikely that top TV faces will land the level of salaries they once enjoyed, and that it would be crucial for them to 'adapt' in the future. 'If they're prepared to adapt and their managers are prepared to adapt to the market then we might see them doing something else. However, Steve left his analysis on a dim note, reminding Aussie fans that the media scape is currently not all sunshine and rainbows. 'It's a pretty cold, chilly time in that area of the television business right now.' It was revealed on Monday that The Project had been officially axed after 16 years, with its final episode airing on June 27. Network 10 shared the news in a Facebook post, thanking viewers for their support before announcing the show's replacement. Hosts Waleed, Sarah and Hamish will also reportedly exit the network, while comedian Sam Taunton will continue his guest appearances on other Ten shows. The news show, which has been in a ratings free-fall since Carrie Bickmore left her seat as host at the end of 2022, has aired 'nearly 4,500 episodes' to date and will wrap up in three weeks. Daily Mail Australia previously revealed The Project was under review and set to be axed on March 16. Harris recently spoke about the cancellation and her subsequent exit from the network. 'There aren't many jobs where you get to tell very human stories, and interview politicians and celebrities all while having a laugh – or ugly crying – in front of a live studio audience every night,' Harris told The Sydney Morning Herald. 'I've had a blast, [but] it's time for me to take a breath and spend some time with my boys. Keep an eye out for my OnlyFans page!' she then joked. Aly also released a statement, saying: 'The Project kicked down the door of how news could be done. 'In some ways it looks more conventional now than it used to because it led the way. Aly also released a statement, saying: 'The Project kicked down the door of how news could be done 'It showed you could bring dry stories to life for an audience that might otherwise have ignored them.' Viewers flocked to the comments to share their dismay. 'Thanks for all your support and honest opinions on topics!' one person wrote. 'Sad to see you guys going!' another said, as someone else commented: 'That's so sad, I always watched it!' 'Where will I watch my news now!? Only place that delivers news with humanity and care. Will miss you guys!! I wish you all the best for the future,' added a fourth.
Business Wire
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
Pink Bows Foundation Expands Showstop® Procedure Training and Certification Across Europe
HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pink Bows Foundation ('organization' or 'Pink Bows') announced today another milestone - its global expansion - growing its impact with the successful delivery of two additional accredited Showstop® Procedure courses hosted by Denmark's Roskilde Festival and attended by Paleo Festival and Engage Festival, among other event organizers and managers across Europe. Other sold-out training sessions took place in Dublin and Glasgow, with further courses to be announced for Fall 2025. 'Never stop learning and improving. I believe that we have a good system for stopping a show at Roskilde Festival and RFX. We still hosted a course on Showstop procedure today on behalf of Pink Bows Foundation,' said Morton Therkilsden, Director of Safety, Roskilde Festival. Since its launch in Houston, Texas in March 2025, Pink Bows has trained 200 event professionals across the US, UK, Ireland and Denmark. Developed in response to the 2021 Astroworld crowd crush, the Showstop® Procedure training and certification advances the organization's mission to improve emergency preparedness and safety protocols in the live events industry. The training is led by globally recognized crowd safety experts Steve Allen and Dr. Mark Hamilton, who serve as consultants to the Pink Bows Foundation. 'The first certified European Showstop Procedure course at Roskilde Festival was delivered with outstanding clarity and professionalism by Mark Hamilton and Steve Allen, on behalf of the Pink Bows Foundation,' added Pascal Viot, Security Coordinator at Paléo Arts & Spectacles and Yourope Event Safety Group, (Association of European Festivals). 'This course is part of a collaborative international initiative I am proud to co-develop, to promote a shared culture of responsibility and create global standards for stopping shows safely.' 'We've been humbled by the response,' said Pink Bows president Stephanie Stegall and Steve Allen, Global Crowd Safety Expert, in a joint statement. 'Feedback from respected safety leaders has been overwhelmingly positive. The demand confirms there's a real appetite for raising the standard of crowd safety worldwide.' Roskilde Festival, one of the oldest and most iconic festivals in Europe, marks 25 years since a tragic crowd crush during a Pearl Jam performance that took the lives of nine attendees. This year's festival will run from June 28 to July 5 and is expected to draw more than 100,000 attendees. This year's headliners include Charli XCX, Olivia Rodrigo, Doechii, and Stormzy. For more information or to register interest in upcoming Showstop® Procedure courses, click here. About Pink Bows Foundation The Pink Bows Foundation was founded by the Dubiski family in honor of Madison Alexis Dubiski, who died during the 2021 Astroworld Festival crowd crush. The foundation's mission is to collaborate with the event industry, raise awareness, and provide approved crowd safety solutions for both physical safety and mental health. For more information visit:
